I think today might have been my favorite day so far, but hoping tomorrow is better since it is my first day off out here. I'll skip the whole, I cleaned the ranch business. I suppose you get the point on that one. Ha-ha!

Dace, the ranch manager, asked me to take a family into Steamboat Springs around 2:30, so they could do some light shopping prior to the rodeo later tonight. I was all up for it, especially after hearing it was going to be Spencer's (the autistic child) family. I can't begin to tell you the joy Spencer brought throughout the week. He was a bit quirky, but he really has a good heart. So, at 2:30, I met them out front of the lodge and we began our 40 minute drive into Steamboat Springs - all the while getting to know one another.

. Light and Sons, which is a famous, over 100 years old cowboy store. I parked and went to do a little window shopping and had a panini at one the restaurants. Just prior to the rodeo it began to down pour. When I say down pour, I mean DOWN POUR! I had forgotten to bring a rain jacket and was wearing a white button down shirt. Wasn't about to go out in the rain... They ran to the parking spot and unloaded all their goods they bought on the excursion. With the rain, Spencer wasn't going to be able to stay, so I took him and Sandi (his mom) back to the ranch with the plan to pick up a rain coat and head back for the end of the rodeo and to pick up the rest of the crew.

On our way back, Sandi, Spencer and I saw the most beautiful rainbow I think I have ever seen. I made sure to take a few photos of it and hope to frame one of them for my house one day. Vista Verde just seemed to be at the end of the rainbow. ;o) Dropped them off and headed back to the rodeo. Rain had stopped and I was able to meet up with everyone and enjoy the last hour and half with the rest of the guests and the few employees that drove them.

There was roping, bull riding, and fancy cowboy tricks. One cowboy, the One Armed Bandit, was by far the best part of the show.

He literally had ONE arm and used a prosthetic for the other arm. It certainly didn't slow him down! He was able to wrangle 4 mule, a bull and his horse on top of his truck and then stand up on his own horse. You've got to look at the photos to see it. The photos are a bit grainy and not the best quality due to it being at night, but I think you'll get an idea.

After the rodeo, we loaded up the car and headed back to the ranch. Tomorrow is my day off, so I watched a movie when I got home on my laptop and fell asleep to wake up whenever I wanted to in the a.m. Something about that gave me so much peace!

Comments

Cowboys Hey Heather,
Keep the pictures of those cowboys coming... More close ups of the cute ones would be appreciated by the girls back home.
Feel free to laso the cute ones and bring them back with you ;-0
Miss ya